TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A 34-year-old Topeka man has been charged with killing a man who had testified against him in a robbery. John Clayton Riley II was charged Friday with eight crimes, including first-degree murder and theft of 29-year-old Palmer Thompson's identity. 

Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said in December 2019, Thompson reported he had been robbed while working maintenance at Topeka apartment complex. 

Riley was charged with robbery in that case and Thompson testified against him at a preliminary hearing. In September 2021, Thompson was found dead of a gunshot wound inside his burning house. Investigators say Riley stole Thompson’s identity and used it to access his financial accounts after his death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644086863045.png" alt="Riley-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Riley-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A 34-year-old Topeka man has been charged with killing a man who had testified against him in a robbery. John Clayton Riley II was charged Friday with eight crimes, including first-degree murder and theft of 29-year-old Palmer Thompson's identity. Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said in December 2019, Thompson reported he had been robbed while working maintenance at Topeka apartment complex. Riley was charged with robbery in that case and Thompson testified against him at a preliminary hearing. In September 2021, Thompson was found dead of a gunshot wound inside his burning house. Investigators say Riley stole Thompson’s identity and used it to access his financial accounts after his death.

Man charged in death of Kan. man who testified against him

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a flurry of diplomacy across two continents, President Joe Biden emerged from a meeting with Germany’s new leader Monday vowing the crucial Nord Stream 2 Russia-to-Germany gas pipeline would be blocked if Russia further invades Ukraine. Russia's Vladimir Putin said the U.S. and its allies were the only ones talking about invasion.

Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron met for hours in Moscow at the same time Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke at the White House in efforts to defuse the crisis before armed conflict breaks out. Russia has massed thousands of troops at the Ukraine border, adding military might almost daily.

The White House has expressed increasing alarm about the prospects of a war, and Biden has been looking to solidify support among European allies for economy-jarring sanctions against Russia if it moves further with an invasion.

“We are jointly ready, and all of NATO is ready,” Biden said, referring to the powerful Western alliance, though Ukraine is not a member.

While Biden reiterated with certitude that the pipeline would not move forward, Scholz stressed the need to keep some ambiguity about sanctions in order to press Russia to de-escalate the crisis.

“It’s necessary for Russia to understand that a lot more could happen than they’ve perhaps calculated with themselves,.” Scholz said.

The buildup of over 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine has fueled Western worries of a possible offensive. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan warned Sunday that Russia could invade Ukraine “any day,” triggering a conflict that would come at an “enormous human cost.”

Putin described his lengthy talks with Macron at the Kremlin as businesslike. He noted that the U.S. and its NATO allies have ignored Moscow’s demands for security guarantees.

He said that NATO’s expansion eastward to Russia's border has violated the security principles of international agreements and scoffed at Western assurances that it is a defensive alliance that doesn’t threaten Russia.

“People of Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan have had learned it from their own experience,” the Russian leader said in a sarcastic reference to the U.S. allies' involvement in military campaigns in those countries. He also referenced NATO’s 1999 bombing campaign in the former Yugoslavia.

He derided the Western criticism of the Russian military buildup near Ukraine, saying that “NATO members consider it possible to lecture us about our troops movements on our own territory and cast them as a threat of Russian invasion in Ukraine.”

Russia has denied any plans to attack its neighbor but demands that the U.S. and its allies bar Ukraine and other former Soviet nations from joining NATO, halt weapons deployments there and roll back NATO forces from Eastern Europe. Washington and NATO reject those demands.

Unswayed, Biden on Monday said “it would be wise” for Americans other than essential diplomats to leave Ukraine amid the Russian military threat.

On a positive note, Putin said without elaboration that some of Macron’s proposals could serve as a basis for a settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, adding that they agreed to have a call after Macron’s visit to Kyiv Tuesday.

Likewise, Biden said when asked if there remained an “offramp” for Russia in the standoff: “The answer is yes.”

Macron said after his “substantial, deep” meeting with Putin: “The upcoming days will be crucial and deep discussions together will be needed ... to build new guarantees for peace and security” for the European continent.

Macron and Putin spent several hours in a meeting with a meal that included fish soup, the choice of sturgeon or reindeer with sweet potatoes and pear pie with vanilla ice cream.

Macron, who heads Tuesday to Ukraine, spoke by phone Sunday with Biden. Before the Putin meeting, Macron said: “I don’t believe in spontaneous miracles.”

“The security and sovereignty of Ukraine or any other European state cannot be a subject for compromise, while it is also legitimate for Russia to pose the question of its own security,” Macron told the French newspaper Journal du Dimanche.

The State Department has been warning American citizens to reconsider any plans to travel to Ukraine since last year due to the buildup of Russian forces near the border. In January, it upgraded that advice, urging U.S. citizens not to travel to Ukraine or to leave the country if they are already there. That stepped-up warning came as the department ordered the families of all American staffers at the U.S. embassy in Kyiv to depart and allowed non-essential diplomats there leave

Before meeting Biden, Scholz told German media that "there will be a very high price if Ukraine is attacked militarily. And we are preparing for this very precisely and have been talking about the details for a long time.” Scholz will travel to Kyiv and Moscow Feb. 14-15..

Separately German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said her country would add up to 350 troops within a few days to about 500 already a part of a NATO battlegroup in Lithuania. “With this, we are strengthening our contribution to forces on NATO’s eastern flank and sending a very clear signal of unity to our allies,” she said.

Biden already has deployed additional U.S. troops to Poland, Romania and Germany, and a few dozen elite U.S troops and equipment landed Sunday in southeastern Poland near the border with Ukraine, with hundreds more infantry troops of the 82nd Airborne Division set to arrive.

Britain said it was sending 350 troops to Poland to bolster NATO forces, joining 100 Royal Engineers already there.

At a news conference in Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the U.S. and Europe defended the increasingly dire Western warnings that a Russian invasion may be imminent.

“This is not alarmism. This is simply the facts,” Blinken said. “And the facts are that we’ve seen over the last few months a massive amassing of Russian forces on Ukraine’s borders."

Borrell noted that “140,000 troops massed on the border is not to go to have tea.”

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance is weighing a more permanent military presence in southeast Europe in response to Russia’s “massive military deployment” near Ukraine.

“We are considering more longer-term adjustments to our posture, our presence in the eastern part of the alliance,” Stoltenberg said after talks in Brussels with Polish President Andrzej Duda. “If Russia really wants less NATO close to the borders, they get the opposite.”

Stoltenberg gave no details and said no final decision has been made, but the move could mirror NATO’s long-term military presence in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, where about 5,000 troops are stationed. It would see a similar force based in Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia.

That would mean NATO troops stationed long-term near Ukraine’s western border and in the Black Sea area. The aim would be only to bolster the defenses of NATO allies in the region and the troops would not cross into Ukraine should Russia invade.

In 2015, France and Germany helped broker a peace deal for eastern Ukraine in a bid to end the conflict between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists that erupted the previous year following the Russian annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644271333333.png" alt="“We are jointly ready, and all of NATO is ready,” Biden said, referring to the powerful Western alliance, though Ukraine is not a member.-photo White House" />
 <figcaption>“We are jointly ready, and all of NATO is ready,” Biden said, referring to the powerful Western alliance, though Ukraine is not a member.-photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — In a flurry of diplomacy across two continents, President Joe Biden emerged from a meeting with Germany’s new leader Monday vowing the crucial Nord Stream 2 Russia-to-Germany gas pipeline would be blocked if Russia further invades Ukraine. Russia's Vladimir Putin said the U.S. and its allies were the only ones talking about invasion.Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron met for hours in Moscow at the same time Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke at the White House in efforts to defuse the crisis before armed conflict breaks out. Russia has massed thousands of troops at the Ukraine border, adding military might almost daily.The White House has expressed increasing alarm about the prospects of a war, and Biden has been looking to solidify support among European allies for economy-jarring sanctions against Russia if it moves further with an invasion.“We are jointly ready, and all of NATO is ready,” Biden said, referring to the powerful Western alliance, though Ukraine is not a member.While Biden reiterated with certitude that the pipeline would not move forward, Scholz stressed the need to keep some ambiguity about sanctions in order to press Russia to de-escalate the crisis.“It’s necessary for Russia to understand that a lot more could happen than they’ve perhaps calculated with themselves,.” Scholz said.The buildup of over 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine has fueled Western worries of a possible offensive. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan warned Sunday that Russia could invade Ukraine “any day,” triggering a conflict that would come at an “enormous human cost.”Putin described his lengthy talks with Macron at the Kremlin as businesslike. He noted that the U.S. and its NATO allies have ignored Moscow’s demands for security guarantees.He said that NATO’s expansion eastward to Russia's border has violated the security principles of international agreements and scoffed at Western assurances that it is a defensive alliance that doesn’t threaten Russia.“People of Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan have had learned it from their own experience,” the Russian leader said in a sarcastic reference to the U.S. allies' involvement in military campaigns in those countries. He also referenced NATO’s 1999 bombing campaign in the former Yugoslavia.He derided the Western criticism of the Russian military buildup near Ukraine, saying that “NATO members consider it possible to lecture us about our troops movements on our own territory and cast them as a threat of Russian invasion in Ukraine.”Russia has denied any plans to attack its neighbor but demands that the U.S. and its allies bar Ukraine and other former Soviet nations from joining NATO, halt weapons deployments there and roll back NATO forces from Eastern Europe. Washington and NATO reject those demands.Unswayed, Biden on Monday said “it would be wise” for Americans other than essential diplomats to leave Ukraine amid the Russian military threat.On a positive note, Putin said without elaboration that some of Macron’s proposals could serve as a basis for a settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, adding that they agreed to have a call after Macron’s visit to Kyiv Tuesday.Likewise, Biden said when asked if there remained an “offramp” for Russia in the standoff: “The answer is yes.”Macron said after his “substantial, deep” meeting with Putin: “The upcoming days will be crucial and deep discussions together will be needed ... to build new guarantees for peace and security” for the European continent.Macron and Putin spent several hours in a meeting with a meal that included fish soup, the choice of sturgeon or reindeer with sweet potatoes and pear pie with vanilla ice cream.Macron, who heads Tuesday to Ukraine, spoke by phone Sunday with Biden. Before the Putin meeting, Macron said: “I don’t believe in spontaneous miracles.”“The security and sovereignty of Ukraine or any other European state cannot be a subject for compromise, while it is also legitimate for Russia to pose the question of its own security,” Macron told the French newspaper Journal du Dimanche.The State Department has been warning American citizens to reconsider any plans to travel to Ukraine since last year due to the buildup of Russian forces near the border. In January, it upgraded that advice, urging U.S. citizens not to travel to Ukraine or to leave the country if they are already there. That stepped-up warning came as the department ordered the families of all American staffers at the U.S. embassy in Kyiv to depart and allowed non-essential diplomats there leaveBefore meeting Biden, Scholz told German media that "there will be a very high price if Ukraine is attacked militarily. And we are preparing for this very precisely and have been talking about the details for a long time.” Scholz will travel to Kyiv and Moscow Feb. 14-15..Separately German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said her country would add up to 350 troops within a few days to about 500 already a part of a NATO battlegroup in Lithuania. “With this, we are strengthening our contribution to forces on NATO’s eastern flank and sending a very clear signal of unity to our allies,” she said.Biden already has deployed additional U.S. troops to Poland, Romania and Germany, and a few dozen elite U.S troops and equipment landed Sunday in southeastern Poland near the border with Ukraine, with hundreds more infantry troops of the 82nd Airborne Division set to arrive.Britain said it was sending 350 troops to Poland to bolster NATO forces, joining 100 Royal Engineers already there.At a news conference in Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the U.S. and Europe defended the increasingly dire Western warnings that a Russian invasion may be imminent.“This is not alarmism. This is simply the facts,” Blinken said. “And the facts are that we’ve seen over the last few months a massive amassing of Russian forces on Ukraine’s borders."Borrell noted that “140,000 troops massed on the border is not to go to have tea.”NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance is weighing a more permanent military presence in southeast Europe in response to Russia’s “massive military deployment” near Ukraine.“We are considering more longer-term adjustments to our posture, our presence in the eastern part of the alliance,” Stoltenberg said after talks in Brussels with Polish President Andrzej Duda. “If Russia really wants less NATO close to the borders, they get the opposite.”Stoltenberg gave no details and said no final decision has been made, but the move could mirror NATO’s long-term military presence in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, where about 5,000 troops are stationed. It would see a similar force based in Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia.That would mean NATO troops stationed long-term near Ukraine’s western border and in the Black Sea area. The aim would be only to bolster the defenses of NATO allies in the region and the troops would not cross into Ukraine should Russia invade.In 2015, France and Germany helped broker a peace deal for eastern Ukraine in a bid to end the conflict between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists that erupted the previous year following the Russian annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.

Biden: It 'would be wise' for Americans to leave Ukraine

By JULIE FREIJAT <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/06/new-bill-would-allow-year-round-sale-of-fireworks-in-kansas/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA
 — As it stands, retail fireworks sellers in Kansas are only allowed to 
sell their wares from June 27 to July 6, a shorter time period than some
 neighboring states.

Seasonal retailers in Missouri can sell fireworks from <a target="_blank" href="https://dfs.dps.mo.gov/programs/fireworks/">June 20 to July 10 and from Dec. 20 to Jan. 2.</a> Missouri also allows the sale of fireworks year round.&nbsp;

The Senate Commerce Committee is 
considering a bill that looks to expand the timeframe in Kansas from 
June 15 through July 6 — and allow for year-round sales.

<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/sb378/">Senate Bill 378</a> was introduced by Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker. The legislation closely resembles a bill from 2020.&nbsp;The
 new bill introduces a definition for annual retailers. Those looking to
 sell fireworks throughout the year must meet state and local fire 
safety regulations and obtain a license.

Doug Jorgenson, Kansas fire marshal, 
said licenses would be issued through the Office of the State Fire 
Marshal, which doesn’t intend to charge for the license.&nbsp;

Local governments would still control how fireworks are regulated in their jurisdictions.

Sarah Beagle, a retail firework owner in southeast Kansas, said fireworks can be shot off all year round in Allen County.

“Each individual city in the county 
sets their own regulations, and then the county itself sets their 
regulations,” Beagle said. “A hundred percent, our bigger counties, our 
higher-populated areas, absolutely — they shouldn’t be lighting 
fireworks at midnight on a Tuesday in the middle of October when kids 
are in school and people have jobs. It makes sense.”

Philip Bradley of the Kansas Fireworks Association said he thinks the bill covers almost everyone’s concerns.&nbsp;

“In no way does the bill or does our 
association want to impinge upon the rights of local government to make 
the rules that are appropriate to that area, and we support that, and 
that was one of the amendments we insisted on having,” Bradley said.

Beagle said the bill would match Kansas’ fireworks season to its surrounding states’ seasons.

“We are losing a lot of revenue to 
our surrounding states — just from things I have heard from my 
customers,” Beagle said. “For me, when we won the Super Bowl in 2020, 
there were so many fireworks that were lit off, the National Weather 
Service was able to see it on their radar. For me, that’s just 
incredible, because where’d they get them from? Sure, some people might 
save fireworks after the season. But for most people, if you’re like my 
family, it’s getting blown up that night.”

Beagle said she favored expanding the seasonal retail period, as it would help both local and bigger retailers.&nbsp;

“I believe it’s 13 days would be what
 we would add to the sell season — and that is a lot of revenue we can 
make in those few days,” Beagle said.

Many seasonal retailers are looking to expand in the future, Bradley said.&nbsp;

“They’re looking down the road, and 
if the law passed so that they could do that, they would start laying 
those plans, getting the financing they need and go into that type of a 
business,” Bradley said. “And, most of them would have one location in 
their local area, so it would make even more of those sales for the 
folks … who go to Oklahoma and go to Missouri stay in the state of 
Kansas.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644244288665.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JULIE FREIJAT <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/06/new-bill-would-allow-year-round-sale-of-fireworks-in-kansas/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA
 — As it stands, retail fireworks sellers in Kansas are only allowed to 
sell their wares from June 27 to July 6, a shorter time period than some
 neighboring states.Seasonal retailers in Missouri can sell fireworks from <a target="_blank" href="https://dfs.dps.mo.gov/programs/fireworks/">June 20 to July 10 and from Dec. 20 to Jan. 2.</a> Missouri also allows the sale of fireworks year round.&nbsp;The Senate Commerce Committee is 
considering a bill that looks to expand the timeframe in Kansas from 
June 15 through July 6 — and allow for year-round sales.<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.com/li/b2021_22/measures/sb378/">Senate Bill 378</a> was introduced by Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker. The legislation closely resembles a bill from 2020.&nbsp;The
 new bill introduces a definition for annual retailers. Those looking to
 sell fireworks throughout the year must meet state and local fire 
safety regulations and obtain a license.Doug Jorgenson, Kansas fire marshal, 
said licenses would be issued through the Office of the State Fire 
Marshal, which doesn’t intend to charge for the license.&nbsp;Local governments would still control how fireworks are regulated in their jurisdictions.Sarah Beagle, a retail firework owner in southeast Kansas, said fireworks can be shot off all year round in Allen County.“Each individual city in the county 
sets their own regulations, and then the county itself sets their 
regulations,” Beagle said. “A hundred percent, our bigger counties, our 
higher-populated areas, absolutely — they shouldn’t be lighting 
fireworks at midnight on a Tuesday in the middle of October when kids 
are in school and people have jobs. It makes sense.”Philip Bradley of the Kansas Fireworks Association said he thinks the bill covers almost everyone’s concerns.&nbsp;“In no way does the bill or does our 
association want to impinge upon the rights of local government to make 
the rules that are appropriate to that area, and we support that, and 
that was one of the amendments we insisted on having,” Bradley said.Beagle said the bill would match Kansas’ fireworks season to its surrounding states’ seasons.“We are losing a lot of revenue to 
our surrounding states — just from things I have heard from my 
customers,” Beagle said. “For me, when we won the Super Bowl in 2020, 
there were so many fireworks that were lit off, the National Weather 
Service was able to see it on their radar. For me, that’s just 
incredible, because where’d they get them from? Sure, some people might 
save fireworks after the season. But for most people, if you’re like my 
family, it’s getting blown up that night.”Beagle said she favored expanding the seasonal retail period, as it would help both local and bigger retailers.&nbsp;“I believe it’s 13 days would be what
 we would add to the sell season — and that is a lot of revenue we can 
make in those few days,” Beagle said.Many seasonal retailers are looking to expand in the future, Bradley said.&nbsp;“They’re looking down the road, and 
if the law passed so that they could do that, they would start laying 
those plans, getting the financing they need and go into that type of a 
business,” Bradley said. “And, most of them would have one location in 
their local area, so it would make even more of those sales for the 
folks … who go to Oklahoma and go to Missouri stay in the state of 
Kansas.”

New bill would allow year-round sale of fireworks in Kansas

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal Feb. 1 accident have identified the victim as 48-year-old Lori Lynn Long of Kansas City, Kansas.

A vehicle struck Long who was on a motorized scooter trying to cross in the 5500 block of Leavenworth Road, according to a media release.

Long was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;The driver of the vehicle fled, but reported the crash to police a short time later.

Police reported no additional details on Monday afternoon.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal Feb. 1 accident have identified the victim as 48-year-old Lori Lynn Long of Kansas City, Kansas.A vehicle struck Long who was on a motorized scooter trying to cross in the 5500 block of Leavenworth Road, according to a media release.Long was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;The driver of the vehicle fled, but reported the crash to police a short time later.Police reported no additional details on Monday afternoon.

Police ID Kan. woman who died crossing the street on motorized scooter

JEWELL COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating after a Jewell County Sheriff’s deputy was found deceased inside his home in Mankato, Kansas.

The investigation indicates that just after 2a.m. Monday, two calls were made to the Jewell County Sheriff’s Office from different subjects inside a home at 507 E. Madison in Mankato, according to a media release from the KBI.

 Both calls requested police assistance due to a domestic incident in progress. When the responding deputy arrived at the home, he discovered that 27-year-old Colton Koch, of Mankato, had suffered a fatal gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Deputy Koch served at the Jewell County Sheriff’s Office for approximately 2 1/2 years. An autopsy is scheduled.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME. Tips can also be submitted online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar" target="_blank">https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar</a>.&nbsp;

JEWELL COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating after a Jewell County Sheriff’s deputy was found deceased inside his home in Mankato, Kansas.The investigation indicates that just after 2a.m. Monday, two calls were made to the Jewell County Sheriff’s Office from different subjects inside a home at 507 E. Madison in Mankato, according to a media release from the KBI. Both calls requested police assistance due to a domestic incident in progress. When the responding deputy arrived at the home, he discovered that 27-year-old Colton Koch, of Mankato, had suffered a fatal gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.Deputy Koch served at the Jewell County Sheriff’s Office for approximately 2 1/2 years. An autopsy is scheduled.Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME. Tips can also be submitted online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar" target="_blank">https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar</a>.&nbsp;

KBI: Kansas sheriff's deputy found dead in his home

By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2022-02-07/salina-parents-want-lgbtq-memoir-removed-from-school-libraries">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA&nbsp;— Some parents in the Salina school 
district want a book removed from high school libraries, citing sexually
 explicit passages that they say are not appropriate for young readers.

The book “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” by nonbinary author and activist <a href="https://iamgmjohnson.com/" target="_blank">George M. Johnson</a>, bills itself as a “memoir-manifesto” intended for adolescent readers. It <a href="https://www.kcur.org/education/2021-10-12/shawnee-mission-weighs-policy-change-after-parents-raise-concerns-about-books-descriptions-of-sex" target="_blank">came under fire</a> in the Shawnee Mission school district last fall and has been <a href="https://flaglerlive.com/170745/books-returned-withheld/" target="_blank">removed from school libraries</a> or classrooms in several states.

Chad Farber, pastor of Central Baptist Church in Salina, submitted one of two requests to review the book on Jan. 25.

In
 his request to district officials, Farber says the book contains 
“pornographic, lude (sic), and obscene content described in great 
detail” and that “this material could be used by some to experiment 
w/anal sex on other students (and) groom some to be molested by 
predators.”

Another parent, Jessica A. Henton, filed a request the same day to review “All Boys Aren’t Blue.”

“While,
 to my understanding, there is great educational content in the rest of 
the book, the obscene (and) descriptive text about ‘sex’ has no place on
 school library shelves,” Henton wrote.

District officials say the
 book is being reviewed by a school-level committee that includes a 
principal, librarian, teachers and parents. The Salina school board is 
expected to hear from people on both sides of the debate during its 
meeting Tuesday.

The case reflects a national trend that has 
school districts trying to balance parental outrage with students’ 
access to certain books. In recent months, dozens of books have been <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2021-11-10/goddard-school-district-reverses-decision-to-pull-library-books" target="_blank">challenged by parents and community members</a> who contend that they’re sexually explicit or <a href="https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/calls-to-ban-books-by-black-authors-are-increasing-amid-critical-race-theory-debates/2021/09" target="_blank">promote critical race theory</a>.

<a href="https://pen.org/user/james-tager/" target="_blank">James Tager</a>,
 research director for the free expression group PEN America, has 
tracked book challenges since 2016 and says the number and intensity of 
challenges is increasing dramatically. But the targets are largely the 
same.

“Most of the books have to do with the presentation of 
diverse viewpoints, which is to say that they feature characters or 
they're written by people of color,” Tager said.

Challenges focused on obscenity tend to target books by LGBTQ authors, he said.

“Whenever
 these arguments are raised, I hardly ever see an effort to evaluate 
this against the literary and educational merit of the book,” he said. 
“There’s a focus on a few passages or a few parts rather than on the 
book in and of itself.”

In an author’s note at the start of “All 
Boys Aren’t Blue,” Johnson acknowledges that his book features 
provocative and potentially controversial material.

“As heavy as 
these subjects may be, it is necessary that they are not only told, but 
also read by teens who may have to navigate many of these same 
experiences in their own lives,” Johnson writes.

“This book will 
touch on sexual assault (including molestation), loss of virginity, 
homophobia, racism, and anti-Blackness. These discussions at times may 
be a bit graphic, but nonetheless they are experiences that many reading
 this book will encounter or have already encountered. And I want those 
readers to be seen and heard in these pages.”

Both people who 
filed complaints in Salina said they had not read “All Boys Aren’t 
Blue,” but saw portions of the book shared on social media.

Parent
 groups have raised issues about a four-page passage near the end of the
 book. In a chapter titled “Losing My Virginity Twice,” Johnson relates a
 consensual homosexual encounter in detail, including oral sex, 
masturbation and intercourse.

Rodney Penn, a Salina father and founder of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/990859254309004/" target="_blank">Kansas Parents Involved in Education</a>,
 said books containing explicit material should be removed from school 
libraries or labeled as explicit, like movies and music, and kept in a 
section that requires parental consent before students can check them 
out.

“We have statutes in the state of Kansas that talk about how a
 school district must monitor and protect kids from internet-based 
obscenities. But what about print obscenities?” Penn said.

Kansas law prohibits the <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2012/b2011_12/statute/021_000_0000_chapter/021_064_0000_article/021_064_0001_section/021_064_0001_k/#:~:text=2012%20Statute&amp;text=(b)%20Promoting%20obscenity%20to%20minors,the%20age%20of%2018%20years" target="_blank">promotion of obscenity to minors</a>.
 But the law exempts “institutions having scientific, educational or 
governmental justification,” such as schools, universities and public 
libraries.

A school district in North Kansas City, Mo., pulled 
“All Boys Aren’t Blue” and another LGBTQ-themed title, “Fun Home,” from 
high school shelves last October but <a href="https://fox4kc.com/news/education/north-kansas-city-school-district-returning-lgbtq-books-to-shelves-after-pushback/#:~:text=%E2%80%94%20North%20Kansas%20City%20School%20District,said%20it%20was%20sent%20Friday." target="_blank">returned them</a> after students petitioned to keep the books.

“All Boys Aren’t Blue” was on a list of books briefly <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2021-11-10/goddard-school-district-reverses-decision-to-pull-library-books" target="_blank">pulled from circulation</a> at school libraries in Goddard in November. The district <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2021-11-10/goddard-school-district-reverses-decision-to-pull-library-books" target="_blank">reversed its decision</a> after receiving national pushback from authors and free-speech advocates.

Chris
 Field, a former Salina teacher who ran unsuccessfully for school board 
in November, said he’s disturbed by challenges that target materials 
dealing with race, gender and sexuality. He said libraries need diverse 
materials to help students navigate real-life experiences.

“To be 
able to find books that they can identify with and know that other 
people in the world are struggling with these issues also. … That’s got 
to be comforting to these children,” he said.

“Ninety-nine percent
 of the books that are on these lists and being attacked are not harming
 children. They’re actually helping them get through life.”

Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644244121019.png" alt=""All Boys Aren't Blue," a memoir by LGBTQ author George M. Johnson, has been the target of book challenges nationwide. Suzanne Perez / KMUW" />
 <figcaption>"All Boys Aren't Blue," a memoir by LGBTQ author George M. Johnson, has been the target of book challenges nationwide. Suzanne Perez / KMUW</figcaption>
 </figure>By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2022-02-07/salina-parents-want-lgbtq-memoir-removed-from-school-libraries">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA&nbsp;— Some parents in the Salina school 
district want a book removed from high school libraries, citing sexually
 explicit passages that they say are not appropriate for young readers.The book “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” by nonbinary author and activist <a href="https://iamgmjohnson.com/" target="_blank">George M. Johnson</a>, bills itself as a “memoir-manifesto” intended for adolescent readers. It <a href="https://www.kcur.org/education/2021-10-12/shawnee-mission-weighs-policy-change-after-parents-raise-concerns-about-books-descriptions-of-sex" target="_blank">came under fire</a> in the Shawnee Mission school district last fall and has been <a href="https://flaglerlive.com/170745/books-returned-withheld/" target="_blank">removed from school libraries</a> or classrooms in several states.Chad Farber, pastor of Central Baptist Church in Salina, submitted one of two requests to review the book on Jan. 25.In
 his request to district officials, Farber says the book contains 
“pornographic, lude (sic), and obscene content described in great 
detail” and that “this material could be used by some to experiment 
w/anal sex on other students (and) groom some to be molested by 
predators.”Another parent, Jessica A. Henton, filed a request the same day to review “All Boys Aren’t Blue.”“While,
 to my understanding, there is great educational content in the rest of 
the book, the obscene (and) descriptive text about ‘sex’ has no place on
 school library shelves,” Henton wrote.District officials say the
 book is being reviewed by a school-level committee that includes a 
principal, librarian, teachers and parents. The Salina school board is 
expected to hear from people on both sides of the debate during its 
meeting Tuesday.The case reflects a national trend that has 
school districts trying to balance parental outrage with students’ 
access to certain books. In recent months, dozens of books have been <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2021-11-10/goddard-school-district-reverses-decision-to-pull-library-books" target="_blank">challenged by parents and community members</a> who contend that they’re sexually explicit or <a href="https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/calls-to-ban-books-by-black-authors-are-increasing-amid-critical-race-theory-debates/2021/09" target="_blank">promote critical race theory</a>.<a href="https://pen.org/user/james-tager/" target="_blank">James Tager</a>,
 research director for the free expression group PEN America, has 
tracked book challenges since 2016 and says the number and intensity of 
challenges is increasing dramatically. But the targets are largely the 
same.“Most of the books have to do with the presentation of 
diverse viewpoints, which is to say that they feature characters or 
they're written by people of color,” Tager said.Challenges focused on obscenity tend to target books by LGBTQ authors, he said.“Whenever
 these arguments are raised, I hardly ever see an effort to evaluate 
this against the literary and educational merit of the book,” he said. 
“There’s a focus on a few passages or a few parts rather than on the 
book in and of itself.”In an author’s note at the start of “All 
Boys Aren’t Blue,” Johnson acknowledges that his book features 
provocative and potentially controversial material.“As heavy as 
these subjects may be, it is necessary that they are not only told, but 
also read by teens who may have to navigate many of these same 
experiences in their own lives,” Johnson writes.“This book will 
touch on sexual assault (including molestation), loss of virginity, 
homophobia, racism, and anti-Blackness. These discussions at times may 
be a bit graphic, but nonetheless they are experiences that many reading
 this book will encounter or have already encountered. And I want those 
readers to be seen and heard in these pages.”Both people who 
filed complaints in Salina said they had not read “All Boys Aren’t 
Blue,” but saw portions of the book shared on social media.Parent
 groups have raised issues about a four-page passage near the end of the
 book. In a chapter titled “Losing My Virginity Twice,” Johnson relates a
 consensual homosexual encounter in detail, including oral sex, 
masturbation and intercourse.Rodney Penn, a Salina father and founder of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/990859254309004/" target="_blank">Kansas Parents Involved in Education</a>,
 said books containing explicit material should be removed from school 
libraries or labeled as explicit, like movies and music, and kept in a 
section that requires parental consent before students can check them 
out.“We have statutes in the state of Kansas that talk about how a
 school district must monitor and protect kids from internet-based 
obscenities. But what about print obscenities?” Penn said.Kansas law prohibits the <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2012/b2011_12/statute/021_000_0000_chapter/021_064_0000_article/021_064_0001_section/021_064_0001_k/#:~:text=2012%20Statute&amp;text=(b)%20Promoting%20obscenity%20to%20minors,the%20age%20of%2018%20years" target="_blank">promotion of obscenity to minors</a>.
 But the law exempts “institutions having scientific, educational or 
governmental justification,” such as schools, universities and public 
libraries.A school district in North Kansas City, Mo., pulled 
“All Boys Aren’t Blue” and another LGBTQ-themed title, “Fun Home,” from 
high school shelves last October but <a href="https://fox4kc.com/news/education/north-kansas-city-school-district-returning-lgbtq-books-to-shelves-after-pushback/#:~:text=%E2%80%94%20North%20Kansas%20City%20School%20District,said%20it%20was%20sent%20Friday." target="_blank">returned them</a> after students petitioned to keep the books.“All Boys Aren’t Blue” was on a list of books briefly <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2021-11-10/goddard-school-district-reverses-decision-to-pull-library-books" target="_blank">pulled from circulation</a> at school libraries in Goddard in November. The district <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2021-11-10/goddard-school-district-reverses-decision-to-pull-library-books" target="_blank">reversed its decision</a> after receiving national pushback from authors and free-speech advocates.Chris
 Field, a former Salina teacher who ran unsuccessfully for school board 
in November, said he’s disturbed by challenges that target materials 
dealing with race, gender and sexuality. He said libraries need diverse 
materials to help students navigate real-life experiences.“To be 
able to find books that they can identify with and know that other 
people in the world are struggling with these issues also. … That’s got 
to be comforting to these children,” he said.“Ninety-nine percent
 of the books that are on these lists and being attacked are not harming
 children. They’re actually helping them get through life.”Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT.

Kan. parents want LGBTQ memoir removed from school libraries

TOPEKA — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases* (see below) in Kansas increased by 4,027 to a total of 748,520, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The state reported nine additional COVID-19 deaths for a total of 7,725.

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.

As of August 1, 2021, in accordance with an&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">updated CDC/CSTE surveillance case definition</a>, a confirmed case is defined as a person who tested positive by molecular detection (e.g., PCR, NAA) or identification of SARS-CoV-2 through genetic sequencing. A probable case is defined as a person with: a) presumptive lab evidence (antigen) or b) no lab testing but meeting clinical case criteria and is epi-linked. A person will be counted as a new surveillance case (e.g. reinfection) if they test positive for SARS-CoV-2 by a diagnostic test (i.e., molecular, antigen) and it has been greater than 90 days since the previous positive diagnostic test. In addition, a person with sequencing results identifying different SARS-CoV-2 lineages regardless of the time since the previous specimen sequenced will be counted as a new surveillance case.&nbsp;

Cases occurring between&nbsp;September 1, 2020&nbsp;and July 29, 2021 were classified by&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">previous CDC/CSTE case definition,&nbsp;</a>and cases prior to September 1, 2020 were classified by the&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/case-definitions/coronavirus-disease-2019-2020/" target="_blank">original case definition</a>.

TOPEKA — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases* (see below) in Kansas increased by 4,027 to a total of 748,520, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;&nbsp;The state reported nine additional COVID-19 deaths for a total of 7,725.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644256693876.png" alt="Monday February 7, 2022 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Monday February 7, 2022 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.As of August 1, 2021, in accordance with an&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">updated CDC/CSTE surveillance case definition</a>, a confirmed case is defined as a person who tested positive by molecular detection (e.g., PCR, NAA) or identification of SARS-CoV-2 through genetic sequencing. A probable case is defined as a person with: a) presumptive lab evidence (antigen) or b) no lab testing but meeting clinical case criteria and is epi-linked. A person will be counted as a new surveillance case (e.g. reinfection) if they test positive for SARS-CoV-2 by a diagnostic test (i.e., molecular, antigen) and it has been greater than 90 days since the previous positive diagnostic test. In addition, a person with sequencing results identifying different SARS-CoV-2 lineages regardless of the time since the previous specimen sequenced will be counted as a new surveillance case.&nbsp;Cases occurring between&nbsp;September 1, 2020&nbsp;and July 29, 2021 were classified by&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">previous CDC/CSTE case definition,&nbsp;</a>and cases prior to September 1, 2020 were classified by the&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/case-definitions/coronavirus-disease-2019-2020/" target="_blank">original case definition</a>.

KDHE: 4,000 new cases, 9 additional COVID deaths

WASHINGTON — The IRS announced it will transition away from using a 
third-party service for facial recognition to help authenticate people 
creating new online accounts. The transition will occur over the coming 
weeks in order to prevent larger disruptions to taxpayers during filing 
season.

During the transition, the IRS will quickly develop and bring online 
an additional authentication process that does not involve facial 
recognition. The IRS will also continue to work with its 
cross-government partners to develop authentication methods that protect
 taxpayer data and ensure broad access to online tools.

"The IRS takes taxpayer privacy and security seriously, and we 
understand the concerns that have been raised," said IRS Commissioner 
Chuck Rettig. "Everyone should feel comfortable with how their personal 
information is secured, and we are quickly pursuing short-term options 
that do not involve facial recognition."

The transition announced today does not interfere with the taxpayer's
 ability to file their return or pay taxes owed. During this period, the
 IRS will continue to accept tax filings, and it has no other impact on 
the current tax season. People should continue to file their taxes as 
they normally would.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The IRS announced it will transition away from using a 
third-party service for facial recognition to help authenticate people 
creating new online accounts. The transition will occur over the coming 
weeks in order to prevent larger disruptions to taxpayers during filing 
season.During the transition, the IRS will quickly develop and bring online 
an additional authentication process that does not involve facial 
recognition. The IRS will also continue to work with its 
cross-government partners to develop authentication methods that protect
 taxpayer data and ensure broad access to online tools."The IRS takes taxpayer privacy and security seriously, and we 
understand the concerns that have been raised," said IRS Commissioner 
Chuck Rettig. "Everyone should feel comfortable with how their personal 
information is secured, and we are quickly pursuing short-term options 
that do not involve facial recognition."The transition announced today does not interfere with the taxpayer's
 ability to file their return or pay taxes owed. During this period, the
 IRS will continue to accept tax filings, and it has no other impact on 
the current tax season. People should continue to file their taxes as 
they normally would.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644265319943.jpg" alt="Image courtesy Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>

IRS moving away from use of third-party facial recognition system

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City police officers called early Monday morning to a home for a domestic disturbance fatally shot a man who exited the home wielding a knife, investigators said.

The shooting happened shortly before 3 a.m. Monday in the Blue Hills neighborhood in southeastern Kansas City, police said. Police had been called to the home for a report of a domestic disturbance involving a child.

When officers arrived at the home, a man came outside holding a knife, refused commands to drop the knife and instead advanced on officers with the weapon and was shot, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said.

The man was taken to a hospital, where he died, patrol Sgt. Bill Lowe said.

Police did not immediately release the man's name or the names of the officers involved.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol‘s division of drug and crime control is investigating the shooting.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer involved shooting at 52nd and Olive in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just after 3a.m. Monday, police responded to a disturbance call and shots were fired, according to a social media report from Kansas City Police.

EMS transported a man to the hospital with life threatening injuries and declared deceased a short time later. The Missouri State Highway Patrol is in charge of this investigation. Police released no additional details.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City police officers called early Monday morning to a home for a domestic disturbance fatally shot a man who exited the home wielding a knife, investigators said.The shooting happened shortly before 3 a.m. Monday in the Blue Hills neighborhood in southeastern Kansas City, police said. Police had been called to the home for a report of a domestic disturbance involving a child.When officers arrived at the home, a man came outside holding a knife, refused commands to drop the knife and instead advanced on officers with the weapon and was shot, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said.The man was taken to a hospital, where he died, patrol Sgt. Bill Lowe said.Police did not immediately release the man's name or the names of the officers involved.The Missouri State Highway Patrol‘s division of drug and crime control is investigating the shooting.------------KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer involved shooting at 52nd and Olive in Kansas City, Missouri.Just after 3a.m. Monday, police responded to a disturbance call and shots were fired, according to a social media report from Kansas City Police.EMS transported a man to the hospital with life threatening injuries and declared deceased a short time later. The Missouri State Highway Patrol is in charge of this investigation. Police released no additional details.&nbsp;

Officer fatally shot knife-wielding man outside Kansas City home

DERBY, Kan. (AP) — Police have identified a man and woman who died in an apparent murder-suicide in the Wichita suburb of Derby. 

The Wichita Eagle reports that 19-year-old Haley Powell, of Wichita, died after being shot Friday afternoon outside the Trails at Derby Apartments. 

Police called to the scene found Powell with gunshot wounds and rushed her to a hospital, where she died. 

Police said witnesses told officers that 21-year-old Tiryn Young had shot Powell. Police later spotted Young at the Derby Golf &amp; Country Club about a mile north of the apartments, but say he shot himself in the head as officers ran to arrest him.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644246036277.png" alt="The apartment complex 1300 block of East Meadowlark in Derby-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>The apartment complex 1300 block of East Meadowlark in Derby-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>DERBY, Kan. (AP) — Police have identified a man and woman who died in an apparent murder-suicide in the Wichita suburb of Derby. The Wichita Eagle reports that 19-year-old Haley Powell, of Wichita, died after being shot Friday afternoon outside the Trails at Derby Apartments. Police called to the scene found Powell with gunshot wounds and rushed her to a hospital, where she died. Police said witnesses told officers that 21-year-old Tiryn Young had shot Powell. Police later spotted Young at the Derby Golf &amp; Country Club about a mile north of the apartments, but say he shot himself in the head as officers ran to arrest him.

Police ID Kan. woman who died in case of domestic violence 

NEW YORK (AP) — Any person convicted of a disruption on board a flight should be added to the national “no fly” list, Delta Air Lines told the U.S. Department of Justice.

In a letter to the Justice Department Attorney General Merrick Garland dated Thursday, Delta CEO Ed Bastian said there should be “zero tolerance” for any behavior that affects flight safety. Bastian noted that while such incidents of bad behavior represent a small fraction of overall flights on Delta, the rate of incidents on the airline has increased nearly 100% since 2019.

“This action will help prevent future incidents and serve as a strong symbol of the consequences of not complying with crew member instructions on commercial aircraft,” Bastian wrote in the letter furnished to The Associated Press by Delta Air Lines.

Delta has, along with its industry partner Airlines for America, been pushing since last year for heightened reporting, investigation and prosecution of those who interfere with on-board safety. The airlines, based in Atlanta, said it has put nearly 1,900 people on Delta’s “no-fly” list for refusing to comply with masking requirements and submitted more than 900 banned names to the Transportation Security Administration to pursue civil penalties.

A spokesperson with TSA, which enforces the FBI “no fly” list of potential terrorist threats, referred a reporter to the FBI since that agency maintains the database. Both the FBI and the Justice Department declined to comment. The Federal Aviation Administration cited 4.9 reported unruly incidents per 10,000 flights the week ending Jan. 23, according to its website.

In December, the TSA announced a new partnership with the FAA that would call for unruly airline passengers facing additional consequences for bad behavior under a new partnership. Under the alliance, the FAA will share information of passengers facing fines for unruly behavior with the TSA, which may remove the passenger from its pre-check screening eligibility, a privilege reserved for low-risk travelers.

ADVERTISEMENTTrending on AP News<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-france-environment-and-nature-environment-fish-bfa019ef14e646ab14b215aba1311045">Mass swarm of dead fish in Atlantic prompts European inquiry</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-entertainment-health-business-race-and-ethnicity-cf03e3ec11422a155da59e998a11aa64">Joe Rogan apologizes for racial slur after video surfaces</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-new-york-new-york-city-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-d4996a1414bb014476a12df3a8a3b120">NYC Mayor Eric Adams apologizes for using racial slur</a><a href="https://popup.taboola.com/en/?template=colorbox&amp;utm_source=associatedpress-apnews&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=organic-thumbnails-rr:Right%20Rail%20Thumbnails:" target="_blank">by Taboola</a>ADVERTISEMENT

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640348737573.png" alt="Delta has, along with its industry partner Airlines for America, been pushing since last year for heightened reporting, investigation and prosecution of those who interfere with on-board safety-photo Eisenhower Wichita Airport&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Delta has, along with its industry partner Airlines for America, been pushing since last year for heightened reporting, investigation and prosecution of those who interfere with on-board safety-photo Eisenhower Wichita Airport&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Any person convicted of a disruption on board a flight should be added to the national “no fly” list, Delta Air Lines told the U.S. Department of Justice.In a letter to the Justice Department Attorney General Merrick Garland dated Thursday, Delta CEO Ed Bastian said there should be “zero tolerance” for any behavior that affects flight safety. Bastian noted that while such incidents of bad behavior represent a small fraction of overall flights on Delta, the rate of incidents on the airline has increased nearly 100% since 2019.“This action will help prevent future incidents and serve as a strong symbol of the consequences of not complying with crew member instructions on commercial aircraft,” Bastian wrote in the letter furnished to The Associated Press by Delta Air Lines.Delta has, along with its industry partner Airlines for America, been pushing since last year for heightened reporting, investigation and prosecution of those who interfere with on-board safety. The airlines, based in Atlanta, said it has put nearly 1,900 people on Delta’s “no-fly” list for refusing to comply with masking requirements and submitted more than 900 banned names to the Transportation Security Administration to pursue civil penalties.A spokesperson with TSA, which enforces the FBI “no fly” list of potential terrorist threats, referred a reporter to the FBI since that agency maintains the database. Both the FBI and the Justice Department declined to comment. The Federal Aviation Administration cited 4.9 reported unruly incidents per 10,000 flights the week ending Jan. 23, according to its website.In December, the TSA announced a new partnership with the FAA that would call for unruly airline passengers facing additional consequences for bad behavior under a new partnership. Under the alliance, the FAA will share information of passengers facing fines for unruly behavior with the TSA, which may remove the passenger from its pre-check screening eligibility, a privilege reserved for low-risk travelers.ADVERTISEMENTTrending on AP News<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-france-environment-and-nature-environment-fish-bfa019ef14e646ab14b215aba1311045">Mass swarm of dead fish in Atlantic prompts European inquiry</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-entertainment-health-business-race-and-ethnicity-cf03e3ec11422a155da59e998a11aa64">Joe Rogan apologizes for racial slur after video surfaces</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-new-york-new-york-city-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-d4996a1414bb014476a12df3a8a3b120">NYC Mayor Eric Adams apologizes for using racial slur</a><a href="https://popup.taboola.com/en/?template=colorbox&amp;utm_source=associatedpress-apnews&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=organic-thumbnails-rr:Right%20Rail%20Thumbnails:" target="_blank">by Taboola</a>ADVERTISEMENT

Airline asks U.S. Dept. of Justice to put unruly passengers on no-fly list

RZESZOW-JASIONKA, Poland (AP) — A few dozen elite U.S troops and equipment were seen landing Sunday in southeastern Poland near the border with Ukraine, following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-joe-biden-business-national-security-jake-sullivan-4f766b3b07014bddb9006d44a9f240b8">President Joe Biden’s orders to deploy 1,700 soldiers there amid fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.</a>

Hundreds more infantry troops of the 82nd Airborne Division are still expected to arrive at the Rzeszow-Jasionka airport, 90 kilometers (56 miles) from Poland’s border with Ukraine. A U.S. Air Force Boeing C-17 Globemaster plane brought a few dozen troops and vehicles.

Their commander is Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue, who on Aug. 30 was the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan.

“Our national contribution here in Poland shows our solidarity with all of our allies here in Europe and, obviously, during this period of uncertainty, we know that we are stronger together,” Donahue said at the airport.

In Warsaw, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak hailed the deployment, saying that “deterrence and solidarity are the best response to Moscow’s aggressive policy, to the aggressive attempt at reconstructing the Russian empire.”

Russia has amassed some 100,000 troops on the borders of Ukraine, some for joint military exercises in Belarus, but insists it has no intentions of invading Ukraine.

A collective response by NATO members is “the best response to a threat, the only method of assuring security to Poland and to other NATO countries on the alliance’s eastern flank,” Blaszczak said.

He stressed he has held a number of talks on the subject with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.

Biden ordered additional U.S. troops deployed to Poland, Romania and Germany to demonstrate to both allies and foes America’s commitment to NATO’s eastern flank amid rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine. NATO’s eastern member Poland borders both Russia and Ukraine. Romania borders Ukraine.

The division can rapidly deploy within 18 hours and conduct parachute assaults to secure key objectives. Based in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the division’s history goes back to 1917.

Earlier in the week, U.S. planes brought equipment and logistics troops in preparation for the arrival of part of the division to the airport.

Polish soldiers have previously worked together with the U.S. division on missions in Iraq and Afghanistan and have trained together, according to Maj. Przemyslaw Lipczynski, a spokesman for the Polish Army’s 18th Mechanized Division.

Some 4,000 U.S. troops have been stationed in Poland since 2017 on a rotating basis, as a security boost in the face of Russia’s increased military activity.

European officials fear that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-russia-germany-82a7ebf6617dfc86b09f4d1b69209d5b">the continent’s energy supplies are vulnerable i</a>&nbsp;n the case of hostilities over Ukraine.

RZESZOW-JASIONKA, Poland (AP) — Hundreds of U.S elite troops arrived in southeastern Poland near the border with Ukraine on Sunday on President Joe Biden’s orders to deploy 1,700 soldiers there amid fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The airborne infantry troops of the 82nd Airborne Division were expected at the Rzeszow-Jasionka airport. Their commander is Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue, who was the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan Aug. 30.

Earlier in the week, U.S. planes brought equipment and logistics troops in preparation for the arrival of elements of the division to the airport, located some 56 miles from Poland’s border with Ukraine.

Polish soldiers have previously worked together with the U.S. division on missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Maj. Przemyslaw Lipczynski, spokesman for the Polish Army 18th Mechanized Division.

Some 4,000 U.S. troops have been stationed in Poland since 2017, on a rotating basis.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644201847534.png" alt="Photo courtesy Department of Defense" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Department of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>RZESZOW-JASIONKA, Poland (AP) — A few dozen elite U.S troops and equipment were seen landing Sunday in southeastern Poland near the border with Ukraine, following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-joe-biden-business-national-security-jake-sullivan-4f766b3b07014bddb9006d44a9f240b8">President Joe Biden’s orders to deploy 1,700 soldiers there amid fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.</a>Hundreds more infantry troops of the 82nd Airborne Division are still expected to arrive at the Rzeszow-Jasionka airport, 90 kilometers (56 miles) from Poland’s border with Ukraine. A U.S. Air Force Boeing C-17 Globemaster plane brought a few dozen troops and vehicles.Their commander is Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue, who on Aug. 30 was the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan.“Our national contribution here in Poland shows our solidarity with all of our allies here in Europe and, obviously, during this period of uncertainty, we know that we are stronger together,” Donahue said at the airport.In Warsaw, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak hailed the deployment, saying that “deterrence and solidarity are the best response to Moscow’s aggressive policy, to the aggressive attempt at reconstructing the Russian empire.”Russia has amassed some 100,000 troops on the borders of Ukraine, some for joint military exercises in Belarus, but insists it has no intentions of invading Ukraine.A collective response by NATO members is “the best response to a threat, the only method of assuring security to Poland and to other NATO countries on the alliance’s eastern flank,” Blaszczak said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644202040531.png" alt="Photo courtesy Defense Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Defense Department</figcaption>
 </figure>He stressed he has held a number of talks on the subject with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.Biden ordered additional U.S. troops deployed to Poland, Romania and Germany to demonstrate to both allies and foes America’s commitment to NATO’s eastern flank amid rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine. NATO’s eastern member Poland borders both Russia and Ukraine. Romania borders Ukraine.The division can rapidly deploy within 18 hours and conduct parachute assaults to secure key objectives. Based in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the division’s history goes back to 1917.Earlier in the week, U.S. planes brought equipment and logistics troops in preparation for the arrival of part of the division to the airport.Polish soldiers have previously worked together with the U.S. division on missions in Iraq and Afghanistan and have trained together, according to Maj. Przemyslaw Lipczynski, a spokesman for the Polish Army’s 18th Mechanized Division.Some 4,000 U.S. troops have been stationed in Poland since 2017 on a rotating basis, as a security boost in the face of Russia’s increased military activity.European officials fear that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-russia-germany-82a7ebf6617dfc86b09f4d1b69209d5b">the continent’s energy supplies are vulnerable i</a>&nbsp;n the case of hostilities over Ukraine.RZESZOW-JASIONKA, Poland (AP) — Hundreds of U.S elite troops arrived in southeastern Poland near the border with Ukraine on Sunday on President Joe Biden’s orders to deploy 1,700 soldiers there amid fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630369004289.png" alt="Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue, shown here as the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan Aug. 30, is in charge of the 82nd Airborne Division now in eastern Europe-photo Dept. of Defense." />
 <figcaption>Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue, shown here as the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan Aug. 30, is in charge of the 82nd Airborne Division now in eastern Europe-photo Dept. of Defense.</figcaption>
 </figure>The airborne infantry troops of the 82nd Airborne Division were expected at the Rzeszow-Jasionka airport. Their commander is Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue, who was the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan Aug. 30.Biden ordered additional U.S. troops deployed to Poland, Romania and Germany to demonstrate to both allies and foes America’s commitment to NATO’s eastern flank amid rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine. NATO’s eastern member Poland borders both Russia and Ukraine. Romania borders Ukraine.The division can rapidly deploy within 18 hours and conduct parachute assaults to secure key objectives. Based in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the division’s history goes back to 1917.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644151735079.png" alt="Defense Department&nbsp;photo courtesy Army Chief of Staff GEN James C. McConville" />
 <figcaption>Defense Department&nbsp;photo courtesy Army Chief of Staff GEN James C. McConville</figcaption>
 </figure>Earlier in the week, U.S. planes brought equipment and logistics troops in preparation for the arrival of elements of the division to the airport, located some 56 miles from Poland’s border with Ukraine.Polish soldiers have previously worked together with the U.S. division on missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Maj. Przemyslaw Lipczynski, spokesman for the Polish Army 18th Mechanized Division.Some 4,000 U.S. troops have been stationed in Poland since 2017, on a rotating basis.

Elite U.S. troops arrive in Poland amid tensions with Russia

KANSAS CITY– A Kansas man and three other defendants have pleaded guilty in federal court to their roles in a conspiracy that converted large amounts of liquid methamphetamine into crystal methamphetamine at a rented house within 1,000 feet of George Melcher Elementary School in Kansas City, according to the United State's Attorney.

Jose Vieyra-Lopez, 37, a citizen of Mexico; Magan Eubanks, 40, of Kansas City, Mo., and Victor Suarez-Gallardo, 33, of Kansas, each pleaded guilty in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough on Thursday, Feb. 3. Vieyra-Lopez and Suarez-Gallardo each pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school from Jan. 1, 2014, to May 18, 2018. Eubanks pleaded guilty to participating in the conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Co-defendant Ruben Ortiz-Vieyra, 42, of Kansas City, Mo., a lawful permanent resident of the United States from Mexico, pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy within 1,000 feet of a school on Jan. 12, 2022.

In addition to the drug-trafficking conspiracy, Vieyra-Lopez, Suarez-Gallardo, and Ortiz-Vieyra each pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school. Suarez-Gallardo, Ortiz-Vieyra, and Eubanks each also pleaded guilty to one count of possessing or using firearms with drug trafficking. Ortiz-Vieyra also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess or use firearms with drug trafficking.

According to their plea agreements, Ortiz-Vieyra supplied methamphetamine to Eubanks. Vieyra-Lopez was the drug runner for Ortiz-Vieyra.

On April 26, 2018, a confidential informant purchased one-half pound of methamphetamine from Eubanks for $3,000 in a transaction that involved Ortiz-Vieyra. On May 2, 2018, the confidential informant purchased one pound of methamphetamine from Eubanks for $5,000. Ortiz-Vieyra was also involved in the transaction. On May 8, 2018, the confidential informant purchased one-half pound of methamphetamine. Ortiz-Vieyra and Vieyra-Lopez were involved in the transaction.

On May 15, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Eubanks’s residence. Officers seized methamphetamine, marijuana, a Ruger .380-caliber pistol, a box of ammunition, a counterfeit $100 bill, and drug paraphernalia.

On May 17, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Kansas City, Mo., residence controlled by Ortiz-Vieyra and Suarez-Gallardo. There were no furniture or other items inside the residence to make it appear occupied. Instead, officers found a black cooking stand that had a pan sitting on top that contained liquid methamphetamine. The residence is approximately 484 feet from George Melcher Elementary School.

Ortiz-Vieyra admitted that he rented houses where he converted liquid methamphetamine into a crystallized form of methamphetamine for sale, including approximately five pounds of methamphetamine approximately one week before his arrest on May 17, 2018. Ortiz-Vieyra admitted that he sold methamphetamine to Eubanks and others. The next day Suarez-Gallardo, who had also been observed at the residence where methamphetamine was being converted, was arrested. Officers found acetone and a Berretta .45-caliber firearm at his residence. Suarez-Gallardo identified Ortiz-Vieyra as the conversion cook. Suarez-Gallardo admitted that he had distributed 10 to 15 pounds of methamphetamine from the conversion lab.

Under the terms of their plea agreements, the defendants must forfeit to the government $1,080,000, which was received for the unlawful distribution of methamphetamine, based on a sale price of $600 per ounce and the distribution of 1,800 ounces (112.5 pounds) of methamphetamine.

Under federal statutes, each of the defendants is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencings of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644161626673.png" alt="Eubanks from an earlier arrest in Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Eubanks from an earlier arrest in Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY– A Kansas man and three other defendants have pleaded guilty in federal court to their roles in a conspiracy that converted large amounts of liquid methamphetamine into crystal methamphetamine at a rented house within 1,000 feet of George Melcher Elementary School in Kansas City, according to the United State's Attorney.Jose Vieyra-Lopez, 37, a citizen of Mexico; Magan Eubanks, 40, of Kansas City, Mo., and Victor Suarez-Gallardo, 33, of Kansas, each pleaded guilty in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough on Thursday, Feb. 3. Vieyra-Lopez and Suarez-Gallardo each pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school from Jan. 1, 2014, to May 18, 2018. Eubanks pleaded guilty to participating in the conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Co-defendant Ruben Ortiz-Vieyra, 42, of Kansas City, Mo., a lawful permanent resident of the United States from Mexico, pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy within 1,000 feet of a school on Jan. 12, 2022.In addition to the drug-trafficking conspiracy, Vieyra-Lopez, Suarez-Gallardo, and Ortiz-Vieyra each pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school. Suarez-Gallardo, Ortiz-Vieyra, and Eubanks each also pleaded guilty to one count of possessing or using firearms with drug trafficking. Ortiz-Vieyra also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess or use firearms with drug trafficking.According to their plea agreements, Ortiz-Vieyra supplied methamphetamine to Eubanks. Vieyra-Lopez was the drug runner for Ortiz-Vieyra.On April 26, 2018, a confidential informant purchased one-half pound of methamphetamine from Eubanks for $3,000 in a transaction that involved Ortiz-Vieyra. On May 2, 2018, the confidential informant purchased one pound of methamphetamine from Eubanks for $5,000. Ortiz-Vieyra was also involved in the transaction. On May 8, 2018, the confidential informant purchased one-half pound of methamphetamine. Ortiz-Vieyra and Vieyra-Lopez were involved in the transaction.On May 15, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Eubanks’s residence. Officers seized methamphetamine, marijuana, a Ruger .380-caliber pistol, a box of ammunition, a counterfeit $100 bill, and drug paraphernalia.On May 17, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Kansas City, Mo., residence controlled by Ortiz-Vieyra and Suarez-Gallardo. There were no furniture or other items inside the residence to make it appear occupied. Instead, officers found a black cooking stand that had a pan sitting on top that contained liquid methamphetamine. The residence is approximately 484 feet from George Melcher Elementary School.Ortiz-Vieyra admitted that he rented houses where he converted liquid methamphetamine into a crystallized form of methamphetamine for sale, including approximately five pounds of methamphetamine approximately one week before his arrest on May 17, 2018. Ortiz-Vieyra admitted that he sold methamphetamine to Eubanks and others. The next day Suarez-Gallardo, who had also been observed at the residence where methamphetamine was being converted, was arrested. Officers found acetone and a Berretta .45-caliber firearm at his residence. Suarez-Gallardo identified Ortiz-Vieyra as the conversion cook. Suarez-Gallardo admitted that he had distributed 10 to 15 pounds of methamphetamine from the conversion lab.Under the terms of their plea agreements, the defendants must forfeit to the government $1,080,000, which was received for the unlawful distribution of methamphetamine, based on a sale price of $600 per ounce and the distribution of 1,800 ounces (112.5 pounds) of methamphetamine.Under federal statutes, each of the defendants is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencings of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.

Kan. man admits role in meth conspiracy near elementary school

LABETTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of violent dog killings.&nbsp;

On December 29, police were notified by a juvenile about a dead animal that had been found and was wrapped up in a blanket. The animal was found thrown next to a small bridge near Felix and 17th Street in Parsons, according to a media release from police.

Officers went to the area and located a dog that was wrapped up in a blanket that was tied around the body. Officers took the deceased animal to the Parson Pet Hospital to have a trained professional examine the dog in an autopsy to determine the method of death. 

Under normal circumstance there would not be an autopsy done on a dog that was found deceased but due to the nature of the disposal and the area of town in which it went missing it was important to find out if the dog was murdered before being disposed of. The animal was found to have gone missing from the 1300 block of S 13th Street.

The report from the autopsy stated that there was severe trauma to the underside of the dog's abdomen and trauma around the neck from the choke chain that was still on the animal. The vet completing the report stated that it would have been consistent with the dog being strangled and beaten, causing the death. All trauma was consistent with a human killing the animal and was not consistent with and animal attack nor vehicle strike.

A&nbsp; dog, identified as "Drako" was identified as the 3rd reported dog killed in less than a year in the same area of the city that dogs identified as "Bleu" had been shot and killed, "Zeus" had been shot, and "Ranger" had been brutally killed. The reward for the "Ranger's" killer has been updated to $34,000.00.

"This is very frustrating for everyone involved. Officers want closure to these cases as bad as the general public. We have been and will continue to ask the public for support and information leading to the arrest of person or persons who are committing these crimes. It is really a shocking development that the $30,000.00 offered has not loosened any tongues. That is what leads us to believe that it is one person acting alone," according to Police Chief Robert Spinks.

The investigation continues to develop persons of interest who are being contacted and interviewed. These individuals are also being offered polygraph test to help eliminate them as potential suspects along with alibi confirmation.

Not all individuals are voluntarily cooperating.

Based on multiple factors, it is possible that one individual who harbors an abnormal psychopathy that can use animal cruelty as a gateway to more violent behavior, according to 'Animal Cruelty as a Gateway Crime' published by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Police encouraged residents in the southeast area of Parsons&nbsp; not to let their dogs roam at large. When animals are left even in a fenced yard they should be watched. Installing Ring, Blink or other home CCTV devices are encouraged as a general crime prevention measure.

"Any suspicious individuals lurking in vehicles or on foot should be reported to the police department," says Acting Commander Kyle Wiford.

LABETTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a case of alleged felony animal cruelty are offering a reward for information in the case.

On Dec. 3, an off duty police officer in the city of Parsons reported their dog 'Ranger' had been killed at a home in the 1400 Block of South 14th Street, according to a media release.

Ranger was a 3-month-old, black, pure bred German Shepherd. The owners let the dog out into a fenced back yard at approximately 7a.m. Just after 2p.m. the owners found the puppy with its head severed, according to the release.

Investigators believe the puppy was removed from the yard by a suspect, taken to another location and killed. Then in a brazen act, the suspect returned the decapitated body and muzzle of Ranger to the police officer's back yard, according to the release.

The crime of cruelty to an animal is a felony for knowingly and maliciously killing an animal. Additionally police would consider requesting a charge of criminal trespass in the case.

Because this was a targeted attack on a Parsons police officer, the Police Department is now offering a $4000.00 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.

Anyone with information should contact Parsons Police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639092204370.png" alt="Ranger-photo Parsons Police Department" />
 <figcaption>Ranger-photo Parsons Police Department</figcaption>
 </figure>LABETTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of violent dog killings.&nbsp;On December 29, police were notified by a juvenile about a dead animal that had been found and was wrapped up in a blanket. The animal was found thrown next to a small bridge near Felix and 17th Street in Parsons, according to a media release from police.Officers went to the area and located a dog that was wrapped up in a blanket that was tied around the body. Officers took the deceased animal to the Parson Pet Hospital to have a trained professional examine the dog in an autopsy to determine the method of death. Under normal circumstance there would not be an autopsy done on a dog that was found deceased but due to the nature of the disposal and the area of town in which it went missing it was important to find out if the dog was murdered before being disposed of. The animal was found to have gone missing from the 1300 block of S 13th Street.The report from the autopsy stated that there was severe trauma to the underside of the dog's abdomen and trauma around the neck from the choke chain that was still on the animal. The vet completing the report stated that it would have been consistent with the dog being strangled and beaten, causing the death. All trauma was consistent with a human killing the animal and was not consistent with and animal attack nor vehicle strike.A&nbsp; dog, identified as "Drako" was identified as the 3rd reported dog killed in less than a year in the same area of the city that dogs identified as "Bleu" had been shot and killed, "Zeus" had been shot, and "Ranger" had been brutally killed. The reward for the "Ranger's" killer has been updated to $34,000.00."This is very frustrating for everyone involved. Officers want closure to these cases as bad as the general public. We have been and will continue to ask the public for support and information leading to the arrest of person or persons who are committing these crimes. It is really a shocking development that the $30,000.00 offered has not loosened any tongues. That is what leads us to believe that it is one person acting alone," according to Police Chief Robert Spinks.The investigation continues to develop persons of interest who are being contacted and interviewed. These individuals are also being offered polygraph test to help eliminate them as potential suspects along with alibi confirmation.Not all individuals are voluntarily cooperating.Based on multiple factors, it is possible that one individual who harbors an abnormal psychopathy that can use animal cruelty as a gateway to more violent behavior, according to 'Animal Cruelty as a Gateway Crime' published by the U.S. Department of Justice.Police encouraged residents in the southeast area of Parsons&nbsp; not to let their dogs roam at large. When animals are left even in a fenced yard they should be watched. Installing Ring, Blink or other home CCTV devices are encouraged as a general crime prevention measure."Any suspicious individuals lurking in vehicles or on foot should be reported to the police department," says Acting Commander Kyle Wiford.---------------LABETTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a case of alleged felony animal cruelty are offering a reward for information in the case.On Dec. 3, an off duty police officer in the city of Parsons reported their dog 'Ranger' had been killed at a home in the 1400 Block of South 14th Street, according to a media release.Ranger was a 3-month-old, black, pure bred German Shepherd. The owners let the dog out into a fenced back yard at approximately 7a.m. Just after 2p.m. the owners found the puppy with its head severed, according to the release.Investigators believe the puppy was removed from the yard by a suspect, taken to another location and killed. Then in a brazen act, the suspect returned the decapitated body and muzzle of Ranger to the police officer's back yard, according to the release.The crime of cruelty to an animal is a felony for knowingly and maliciously killing an animal. Additionally police would consider requesting a charge of criminal trespass in the case.Because this was a targeted attack on a Parsons police officer, the Police Department is now offering a $4000.00 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.Anyone with information should contact Parsons Police.

Police: Lack of cooperation in Kan. dog killing investigation

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting.

The incident occurred just before 8 a.m. Sunday, as deputies were in the 1200 block of SW Wanamaker Road in Topeka attempting to make a felony arrest of a suspect involved in a vehicle pursuit that occurred in Shawnee County on Friday, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.&nbsp; 

One male subject was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The Northeast Kansas Sheriffs’ Officer-Involved Critical Incident Response Team is in charge of the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644160820448.png" alt="Law enforcement on the scene of Sunday's fatal officer-involved shooting-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement on the scene of Sunday's fatal officer-involved shooting-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting.The incident occurred just before 8 a.m. Sunday, as deputies were in the 1200 block of SW Wanamaker Road in Topeka attempting to make a felony arrest of a suspect involved in a vehicle pursuit that occurred in Shawnee County on Friday, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.&nbsp; One male subject was pronounced deceased at the scene.The Northeast Kansas Sheriffs’ Officer-Involved Critical Incident Response Team is in charge of the investigation.

Man dead after Kansas officer-involved shooting

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-regulators-struggling-to-deal-with-29-high-hazard-dams-in-need-of-repair/">Kansas Reflector</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643916495187.png" alt="Earl Lewis, chief engineer with the Kansas Department of Agriculture, said the state had 29 dams in need of prompt repair but complained the agency lacked legal tools to compel landowners to act. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Earl Lewis, chief engineer with the Kansas Department of Agriculture, said the state had 29 dams in need of prompt repair but complained the agency lacked legal tools to compel landowners to act. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-regulators-struggling-to-deal-with-29-high-hazard-dams-in-need-of-repair/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of
 Agriculture briefed a legislative committee last week on legal challenges 
of compelling action to repair 29 dams in unsatisfactory condition and 
considered a hazard to homes, businesses or infrastructure.Earl Lewis, chief engineer with the agriculture department, said the 
state has regulatory control of about one-third of the state’s 6,695 
dams. Overall, more than 600 dams in Kansas have been identified as 
significant or high hazards if breached. The state has jurisdiction over
 400 of these dams.“There are 29 out there where we need to have action,” Lewis said. 
“Some of these we’ve known about for a number of years. We don’t have 
the enforcement tools.”He told members of the Kansas House committee devoted to water issues
 that the Department of Agriculture lacked authority to enforce safety 
standards designed to correct problems at weakened dams. In these cases,
 he said, the state must convince a county attorney to take court 
action.One option would be for the Legislature to grant the department 
ability to impose civil fines on landowners who decline to repair unsafe
 dams on their property, he said.Lewis said the agriculture department had 3.5 full-time equivalent 
employees to deal with oversight of dams in the state. That breaks down 
to 700 dams per employee, he said, compared to the national average of 
200 dams per staff member.Gov. Laura kelly included in her recommended state budget enough 
funding to hire three more people devoted to regulatory work on dams in 
Kansas, which has the second-most dams in the United States. The state’s
 regulatory work on dams relies on a combination of state and federal 
funding.“We’re not here saying we should be where the national average is, 
but we do want to make sure we meet our statutory obligations,” Lewis 
said.He also said the state should create an emergency fund to address 
dams in immediate jeopardy of failing and change state law to allow 
people to conduct dam inspections under the supervision of a 
professional engineer.